Organizer for remote controls

ABSTRACT

A novel organizer for remote control units is provided. The organizer is made up of a series of segments which have pockets for storage of the remote control units. Each pocket is created through coupling of the support member with a cover member. In a preferred embodiment, the cover member is transparent and flexible thus allowing a user to operated the remote control units while they are stored within the organizer. The organizer also has a capability to be stacked-up or rolled-up in a convenient and space saving configuration suitable for storage.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to an organizer for remote controls thatallows a user to store a number of remote controls and use said remotecontrols without removing them from the organizer.

[0002] Remote controls were invented to add convenience in operation ofvarious devices by allowing for remote operation of those devices. Theuser need not be in the immediate vicinity of a device in order tooperate it. However, as functional and beneficial as remote controlsare, their relative small size makes them prone to misplacement.Displaced remote controls could also easily get in the way and becomedamaged when someone sits or steps on them. Furthermore, the moredevices an individual person has, the more remote controls thatindividual will need to operate all of their various devices. Therefore,there exists a problem of how to keep track of the numerous remotecontrols since they are easily lost or broken and also since theirnumbers could grow to the point of being unmanageable. For example, aperson having a television, a cable box, a VCR, a stereo system and aDVD player might have five or six remote controls in their living room.Those remote controls could clutter a living room or coffee table oreven get lost under couches or chairs. In an ordinary room, a suitablecontainer does not exist that would adequately organize numerous remotecontrols and also protect against breakage and misplacement.

[0003] What is needed is a simple, easy to use organizer for remotecontrols that would allow an individual to not only retain all remotecontrols in a centralized location, but also allow the individual to usethe remote controls while the controls are in the organizer. Possessingthe capability to operate any individual remote control, while it isstored in its organizer, serves a purpose of not taking a chance thatthe remote controls will become lost or broken once they are removedfrom the organizer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] This invention satisfies the above needs. A novel organizer forremote control units is provided.

[0005] The claimed organizer is made up of segments coupled to eachother. Each segment is made up of a flat support member coupled to acover member. Normally, the device would have 2 to 6 segments. Eachremote control unit is stored within the pocket created between thesupport member and the cover member. The cover members are made out aflexible and transparent material thus allowing for operation of remotecontrols while they are stored inside of the organizer. The flat supportmember could have a cover member coupled to both its front and backsides. Thus each segment will have two pockets doubling the capacity ofthe organizer.

[0006] A primary locking means serves the function of opening andclosing the pockets for insertion and removal of the remote controlunits. The organizer could be stacked-up or rolled-up for easy andconvenient storage of the remote control units. A secondary lockingmeans keeps the organizer in a rolled-up or in a stacked-upconfiguration.

[0007] Most significantly, the remote controls need not be removed fromthe organizer in order for them to be used. Utilization of thisorganizer allows for remote controls to be protected from everyday wearand tear, human touch contact, food and beverage spillage and any othermishap or problem that could occur if the remote controls were exposedand left out unprotected.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0008] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with reference to the followingdescriptions, appended claims and accompanying drawings where

[0009]FIG. 1 is a front view of one of the embodiments of the organizerfor remote controls in an unrolled configuration.

[0010]FIG. 2 is a lateral cross-sectional view of the preferredembodiment of the disclosed device where each segment has two pockets.

[0011]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the stacked-up configuration ofthe organizer.

[0012]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the rolled-up configuration of theorganizer.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] This invention represents an organizer for remote controls. FIG.1 shows the front of the organizer in an un-rolled configuration. Theorganizer is made up of a series of segments 1 which have a top end 4,bottom end 5, and side ends 6. The segments 1 could be coupled to eachother at their side ends 6 via bridge member 12.

[0014] The remote control units R are stored within pockets createdthrough coupling of the flat support member 2 with cover members 3 asdepicted in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0015] The pockets are accessed through openings that are created byusing a primary locking means 7 located along the bottom ends 5 of thesegments 1 as depicted in FIG. 1. Alternatively, the primary lockingmeans 7 could be positioned along the top ends 4 of the segments 1 oralong both the top 4 and the bottom 5 ends of the segments 1. Theprimary locking 7 means could be a variety of such well known in the artlocking means as zippers, VELCRO, and tongue and groove interaction asin a ZIP-LOCK, among others.

[0016] To simplify storage and to save space, the organizer could berolled up to form a stacked-up (FIG. 3) or a rolled-up (FIG. 4)configuration. The coupling between adjacent segments 1 could beachieved via flexible bridge members 12 which have sufficient width toallow for stacking up or for rolling up of the organizer as depicted inFIGS. 3 and 4.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] In a preferred embodiment, the cover members 3 are made out of aflexible transparent material such as plastic. This allows for operationof the remote control units without removing them from the organizer. Inaddition, each segment 1 has two cover members 3 coupled to each one ofits sides so as to form two pockets as depicted in FIG. 2. This doublesorganizer's capacity. Although any number of segments could be used, itis preferred to use 2-6 segments.

[0018] A secondary locking means 8 depicted in FIG. 1 is used to lockthe organizer in a stacked-up or a rolled-up configuration. Thesecondary locking means 8 could be a variety of such well known in theart locking means such as VELCRO, among others. The secondary lockingmeans 8 is attached to an end segment 10 which is a segment 1 that iscoupled to another segment 1 on only one of its side ends 6 with theother side end 6 being a free end 11 as depicted in FIG. 1.

[0019] Moreover, a tertiary locking means 9, shown in FIG. 1, could beused to add and remove segments 1 to and from the organizer. Thetertiary locking means 9 is located along the length of the bridgemember 12, as shown in FIG. 1. The tertiary locking 7 means could be avariety of such well known in the art locking means as zippers, VELCRO,and tongue and groove interaction as in a ZIP-LOCK, and others. Thisfeature gives flexibility in addition and removal of segments dependingon the number of remote control units being used. If the two free ends11 of the two end segments 10 are equipped with the tertiary lockingmeans 9, then engagement of the tertiary locking means 9 creates a beltout of the segments of the organizer.

What is claimed is:
 1. Organizer for remote controls, comprising: aplurality of segments, wherein each segment has a top end, a bottom end,and two side ends, and wherein each segment has a flat support membercoupled with a cover member on a side of the support member so as toform a pocket where each pocket is capable of storing a remote controlunit, and wherein each segment is coupled to another adjacent segmentwhile an end segment is the segment which is coupled to another segmenton only one of its side ends with the other side end being a free end.2. Organizer for remote controls of claim 1 wherein: in at least onesegment, the cover members are coupled to the flat support member onboth sides of the flat member thus creating the pocket on each side ofthe segment.
 3. Organizer for remote controls of claim 1 wherein:coupling between adjacent segments allows for bending of the organizeralong the axis of the coupling so as to allow to superimpose segments ina stacked manner thereby achieving a stacked-up configuration of theorganizer.
 4. Organizer for remote controls of claim 1 wherein: thesegments have a rectangular shape.
 5. Organizer for remote controls ofclaim 1 wherein: the cover members are made of transparent and flexiblematerial so as to allow viewing and operation of the remote controlunits stored inside of the pockets.
 6. Organizer for remote controls ofclaim 5 wherein: the cover members are made of transparent and flexibleplastic material.
 7. Organizer for remote controls of claim 1 wherein: aprimary locking means is located the top end of each segment allowingfor closing and opening of the pockets for insertion and removal ofremote control units while the coupling between adjacent segments isalong the adjacent side ends on these segments.
 8. Organizer for remotecontrols of claim 1 wherein: a primary locking means is located thebottom end of each segment allowing for closing and opening of thepockets for insertion and removal of remote control units while thecoupling between adjacent segments is along the adjacent side ends onthese segments.
 9. Organizer for remote controls of claim 1 wherein: aprimary locking means is located on the top and bottom ends of eachsegment allowing for closing and opening of the pockets for insertionand removal of remote control units while the coupling between adjacentsegments is along the adjacent side ends on these segments. 10.Organizer for remote controls of claim 1 wherein: at least one endsegment has a secondary locking means coupled to its free end whichsecondary locking means, when engaged, allows for retaining of astacked-up configuration of the organizer.
 11. Organizer for remotecontrols of claim 1 wherein: the adjacent segments are coupled to eachother via a bendable bridge member.
 12. Organizer for remote controls ofclaim 11 wherein: a tertiary locking means is located along the lengthof at least one bridge member wherein the tertiary locking means allowsfor attachment and detachment of separate segments to and from eachother along the length of the bridge member.
 13. Organizer for remotecontrols of claim 12 wherein: the tertiary locking means allows forbending of the organizer along the length of the tertiary locking meansso as to allow to superimpose segments in a stacked manner therebyachieving a stacked-up configuration of the organizer.
 14. Organizer forremote controls of claim 12 wherein: the free sides of two end segmentsare equipped with the tertiary locking means engagement of which createsa belt made out of organizers.